Oregon DFR Reaffirms Ban on Arbitration and Venue Provisions in Policy Forms
Published September 9, 2026 at 9:41 AM · News Releases and Bulletins, What's New – OR
Oregon — All Health, Life, and Property and Casualty Insurers: The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has issued a bulletin regarding Arbitration Clauses, Choice of Law, and Choice of Venue Provisions in Insurance Policies.
Purpose
The purpose of this bulletin is to remind all insurers of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) Division of Financial Regulation’s (DFR) policy with regards to pre-dispute mandatory arbitration clauses, choice of law provisions, and choice of venue provisions in insurance policies. These provisions unfairly limit or impose unreasonable preconditions on policy holders’ ability to adjudicate their disputes in state courts under the protection of Oregon law. These provisions are prohibited in all lines of insurance.
This bulletin replaces Bulletin No. DFR 2020-1 issued January 14, 2020.
Guidance
Insurance policies may not contain pre-dispute mandatory arbitration clauses (other than those noted above), choice of law provisions, or choice of venue provisions. Any policy form filing containing these provisions will be disapproved.
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